Located northwest of downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho along the Spokane River is the Riverstone Office Building, a cornerstone of the Riverstone Development, an emerging mixed-use community. The office building makes a nod to the sawmill history of the site with its simple roof forms and structure. The building has two tenants that include the headquarters for the developer and a high-tech keyboard and mouse design company. The layout of the 16’-0” x 16’-0” reclaimed fir column and beam grid allows flexible tenant spaces. The building overlooks the Centennial Trail allowing the occupants to open up their spaces to the park, trails, and pond to the north.
The developer wanted a building to include a flexible plan, cost effective materials and a rapid erection timeline. The architect’s ongoing research into using a reclaimed wood structure and structurally insulated panels (SIPS) proved to be a great fit for the Owner’s requirements. The SIPS wall and roof envelope cost of $10/sf. The straightforward use of reclaimed structural heavy timber and exploiting the SIPS ease of construction, allowed the building to be constructed in less than four months. The exterior of the building is partially clad with a rain screen system of reclaimed wood that was salvaged locally from dismantled grain elevators. The remaining rain screen cladding is cementitious siding panels that do not need to be painted and require no maintenance. The building was finished with a construction cost of $136/sf.
The thermally superior R-48 building envelope creates user comfort on the coldest and hottest days and greatly reduces the operational costs for the owner. This building uses 30% less energy and 50% less water than a conventionally designed building. The simple shape of the metal roof and large overhangs provide protection from direct sun and snow. Important factors to consider when designing a project in North Idaho. With a SIPS exterior envelope, wrapped in reclaimed and low maintenance materials, the team was able to meet the developers goal of a cost effective low maintenance building on an accelerated construction schedule without sacrificing quality and design. The Riverstone Office Building is a unique and forward thinking project for the Pacific Northwest.
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